Centralized automatic control for machine employed in manufacturing garments



Feb. 7, 1967 s. CHERON CENTRALIZED AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR MACHINE EMPLOYED IN MANUFACTURING GARMENTS Filed Feb. 24, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR SERGE CHERON BY f fi/ ATTORNEY Feb. 7, 1967 CENTRALIZED AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR MACHINE EMPLOYED IN MANUFACTURING GARMENTS Filed Feb. 24, 1964 S. CHERON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g S P l 1% r x l \l I 16 I INVENTOR SERGE CHERON ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,302,600 ENTRALIZED AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR MA- C CHINE EMPLOYED IN MANUFACTURING GAR- MENTS Serge Cheron, Troyes, Aube, France, assignor to S.p.A. Virginio Rimoldi & C., Milan, Italy Filed Feb. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 346,867 Claims priority, application France, Feb. 25, 1963, 925,926 4 Claims. (Cl. 112-219) This invention relates to a centralized control for machines for manufacturing garments, .such as collar sewing machines, elastic band attaching machines, bottom laying machines, overedge stitching and any kind of sewing machines, certain functions of which have heretofore been controlled by action of the foot on a pedal or by the knee.

The centralized automatic control according to this invention essentially comprises equipment including control members properly grouped together or to a part unit in a control box and operating members. Preferably, the control box is arranged on the machine table within reach of the hand and sight of the worker, the operating members being arranged in direct proximity to their various operating locations.

The device is designed to minimize effort by the worker and waste of material (collar material, thread, elastic band, tape, etc.) and improves efficiency. Reduction in effort is attained by the fact that the worker no longer needs use his foot or knee in order to start and stop the machine. Certain machines, more particularly collar sewing machines and elastic band sewing machines require action by both feet and both knees in order to control, in addition to operation of the machine, the action of a cutter or a guide.

Through control from the centralized automatic control box provided by the invention the workers feet rest on a special bench and conventional operating pedals can be removed.

Starting, stopping, operation of a cutter or guide which had heretofore been effected through the driving clutch or mechanically from the pedals, are now carried out by the centralized automatic operating box through feelers arranged at the inlet and outlet of the work with respect to the presser foot. Consequently, starting and stopping of the machine as well as the action of the cutter or guides are automatically controlled without any special intervention by the worker, merely by introduction of the work to the machine and by maintaining the work beneath the presser foot.

The centralized automatic control box provided by the invention is operated from the feelers and controls operation of the machine in accordance with responses transmitted from the feelers to the engine clutch, cutter or guide through electromagnets.

The following description referring to the accompanying drawing, which is given by Way of illustration, explains how the invention can be carried out, any detail shown on the drawing and described being, of course, a part of this invention.

FIGURES 1 and 2 are a side and front view, respectively, of the feelers secured to one end of the case for the needle operating mechanism of a sewing machine.

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatical plan view showing the arrangement of the centralized automatic control box on a garment working machine and working table thereof.

3,302,600 Patented Feb. 7, 1967 FIGURE 4 is a simplified diagram of the wiring b tween the various components of the device.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, two feelers P and 2 are articulated to a plate 2 fixed to one end of the machine casing 1 (shown in dotted lines). The feelers, arranged at the front of the casing 1 near the needle bar B carrying the needles N and near the presser foot P, all shown in dotted lines, each comprise a double-armed crank lever 3, 4, respectively, articulated at the crank, the free end of the arm 3 which descends obliquely reaching within a slot 5 provided in the working table 6 of the machine, the arm 4 which obliquely extends upwardly actuating a microswitch. Insertion of a piece of work 8 causes the arm 3 of each feeler to rise by a :few millimeters and to assume the position 3' (shown in dotted lines). By virtue of their articulation about point 10 the arms or crank levers 3, 4 swing in a slight arc sufficient to cause the arms 4 to lift the knobs 11 operating a microswitch 12 in order to close or open the latter. In order to facilitate this operation the top contour of the arm 4 is advantageously of a cam profile.

Upon insertion of the work 8 in the direction of the arrow 9, the work first abuts the feeler P which, as explained hereafter, causes the coupling in of the clutch 26 interposed between the constantly energized motor M and the sewing machine. This feeler is referred to as the inlet feeler. As the work has been fed through a few centimeters it travels beneath the feeler P and lifts the latter. The feeler P acts similarly on a microswitch 12 which is connected in parallel with the microswitch of the previously described feeler; the microswitch 12 confirms and maintains the operating orders given by the former microswitch. In normal operation, conditions remain unaltered as long as the fabric 8 is beneath the feeler P whereas the rfeeler P shortly before completing the work has been released and has resumed its initial position. However, when the feeler P is released in turn on completion of the work, its microswitch 12 uncouples the machine and causes a thread cutter (collar tape or elastic band) to move downwardly and/or oscillates the elastic band guide if provided, and promptly release the completed work, a fresh work being inserted. For this reason the feeler P is referred to as the outlet feeler.

Garment working machines provided with feelers and at least one thread cutter are known. However, in the latter the feelers are energized by the electric current and act as connections, which results in a number of drawbacks, the various members being arranged on the machine in a somewhat unorganized manner. As distinct therefrom, and as mentioned above, the feelers P and P merely perform a mechanical function, all operations released by the microswitches operated by the feelers being carried out through relays grouped in the centralized automatic control box provided by the invention.

Machines are known which are actuated by microswitches arranged beneath the old pedals or toggle levers, such machines comprising photoelectric cells instead of feelers.

The box 13 according to this invention, which is made of a transparent plastic material (more particularly of a material known by the trade name Altuglas) and is arranged, as diagrammatically shown in FIGURE 3, on the working table 6 of the machine, comprises the following essential components schematically shown in the rectangle 13a in FIGURE 4: three intermediate relays 14, 15 and 16; two signalling lamps 17, 18, a knife switch 19 and a push button switch 20. The machine is equipped with a feed transformer 21 receiving on its primary winding p electric current at 220 volts from a network through a cutout 22 and feeding to the terminals of its secondary winding s an electric current at 22 volts. This current feeds the exciting coils for three relays 14, and 16 as well as the signalling lamps 17, 18, a fuse f and push button switch within the box 13. Externally of the latter it further feeds the microswitches 12 as well as further microswitches 23 the function of which shall be explained hereafter. The machine driving motor as well as the driving coil 26a on its magnetic clutch 26 and exciting coil 24a on the electromagnetic device 24, which operates a cutter C (FIG. 3) are fed with 220 volt current. On the box 13 the lever switch 19 cuts out the 220 volt circuit, while the push button switch 20 cuts off supply of current from the relay 14 in the so-called safety position.

When the worker inserts the work to be processed (fabric 8 in the direction of the arrow 9, FIGURE 2) beneath the inlet feeler P the latter is lifted and actuates its microswitch 12 which closes and supplies 24 volt current to the microswitch 12, which is still open, of the outlet feeler P and, on the other hand, to the relay 15. This relay is switched in and supplies by its contact 15a 220 volt current to the magnetic clutch 26. In the meantime its contact 15b (which has closed at the same time as contact 150) has energized the relay 16. By its contact 16b the relay 16 connects the coil of the cutter operating device to the 220 volt current source (primary winding of the transformer 21).

When the outlet feeler is released in turn, its microswitch cuts out the energizing current for the relay 15 which is switched off; the coil on the relay 16 is no longer energized by the contact 15b but continues to be energized by the microswitch 24b on the cutter operating device 24, which is constantly energized, whereby the relay 16 is maintained in a switched in condition While its operating relay 15 has been switched off.

The contact 16b on the relay 16 then receives 220 volt current from the contact 150 (which closes when this relay is switched off); this current is fed to the electromagnet on the device 24 which results in downward movement of the cutter.

As the cutter reaches its lowermost position it actuates the microswitch 24b which cuts out the energizing circuit for the relay 16; the latter is switched off, opens its contact 16b and cuts off current from the electromagnet of the device 24, whereby the cutter is caused to resume its inoperative position.

Under a further aspect of this invention the centralized automatic control box 13 is provided with a safety device which enables the worker to stop the machine at any desired moment as more fully described below.

Moreover, on breakage of a thread the machine instantaneously stops through the action of the microswitches 23, one of which at least is released by the slackening of the broken thread and closes the energizing circuit for the relay 14. This relay then opens its contact 14a and cuts off supply of 220 volt current to the relays 15 and 16 without cutting out supply to these relays of the 24 volt current.

The machine can be stopped any moment by the worker by means of a manually operated microswitch 28 provided with an operating lever 29. The operation of the latter member results in energization of the relay 14 and a repeat of the above described operations, where energization is due to the action of microswitch 23 of the thread cutting device. The microswitch 28 can therefore be used, and is even particularly useful on machines deprived of automatic thread cutters.

In any case, under one aspect of this invention the microswitch 28 is so arranged that its lever 29 is right ahead the needles, and it becomes actually necessary to operate the said lever for access to the needles for the purpose of again threading them. By this .arrangement the worker is prevented from getting near by her fingers to the needles or thread cutter unless she has previously operated the safety switch 28.

The safety arrangement further includes two signalling lamps 17, 18 operated by a reversing switch 14b on the relay 14. A red lamp 17 signals operating condition or danger, and the green lamp 18 signals safety condition. In the latter condition the worker can freely reach any machine component without any risk of accident.

It should be noted that the relay 14 is of the current emitting or self-feeding type. By this arrangement the worker can release the lever 29, the relay 14 being further energized by its self-feed contact which maintains it in an energized condition. In order to annul this condition, all there is to do is to depress the push button 20 a very short instant.

This push button, which is referred to as rest contact should be operated in any case before any restarting, in order to make sure that the 24 volt voltage energizing the relay 14 is safety cut out. Under these conditions the green lamp is extinguished and the red lamp is put on again.

Should for any reason whatever (more particularly, repair of an electric component) operation by the clutch pedal become necessary as in the past, the worker shall merely open the switch 19 which cuts out 220 volt current supply to the transformer 21.

Neither the 220 volt nor the 24 volt current then flows any longer through the machine components.

In carrying out this invention it has been found preferable in accordance with a well known technique to lead all the wires issuing from the centralized automatic control box 13 to a bar carrying contact plugs, the threads leading to components externally of the box ending by contact sockets arranged on a further bar associated with the former. This arrangement, in which each terminal is numbered facilitates positioning and any repair of the electric plant on the machine.

It will be understood that modifications can be made to the embodiments described above, more particularly by replacement by equivalent technical means without departing from the scope of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a garment sewing machine having a working table, at least one needle operating to form a line of stitching, a presser foot for holding the fabric of the garment to be worked during forming of the stitches, a motor for driving the machine, a clutch between the motor and the machine, and a thread cutter, an automatic control comprising an inlet feeler and an outlet feeler arranged to be slightly lifted by the fabric upon travel of the fabric over the working table near the zone at which the presser foot is arranged, a microswitch associated with each feeler and mechanically actuated by the feeler with which it is associated for starting the machine automatically upon insertion of the fabric under the inlet feeler and stopping the machine automatically upon withdrawal of the fabric from under the outlet feeler, a centralized automatic control box, three relays arranged in said centralized automatic control box, including a starting relay energized by the operation of said inlet feeder and of said outlet feeler, the outlet feeler superseding the inlet feeler when the latter is released on feed of the fabric beneath the presser foot, a thread cutter operating relay energized when the outlet feeler is released on completion of the work, and a self-feed relay adapted to cut out the high voltage supply on breakage of the thread, a microswitch for the thread cutting device for controlling said high voltage cutout, and a manually operated lever microswitch for stopping the machine and placing it in a safety condition, cutting out said high voltage supply.

2. Automatic control as set forth in claim 1, comprising a transformer, the low voltage output of which is connected to the circuits energizing the above mentioned relays; the motor, the clutch and thread cutter being connected With the high voltage output.

3. Automatic control as set forth in claim 2, comprising a luminous signalling device turning red when the machine is operating and involves risk to the worker coming within reach of an operative machine component, and turning green when the machine is at rest and no danger prevails.

4. Automatic control as set forth in claim 1, wherein the lever on the manually operated microswitch is so arranged as to be closed and stop the machine when 6 the worker attempts to reach the machine stitch forming needles.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,407,342 9/ 1946 Nachman 112-219 2,418,356 4/1947 Kleber 112-219 2,483,138 9/1949 Helmer 112219 2,679,307 5/1954 Koch 192127 2,876,407 3/1959 Winz 112219 X JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

H. H. HUNTER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A GARMENT SEWING MACHINE HAVING A WORKING TABLE, AT LEAST ONE NEEDLE OPERATING TO FORM A LINE OF STICHING, A PRESSER FOOT FOR HOLDING THE FABRIC OF THE GARMENT TO BE WORKED DURING FORMING OF THE STICHES A MOTOR FOR DRIVING THE MACHINE, A CLUTCH BETWEEN THE MOTOR AND THE MACHINE, AND A THREAD CUTTER, AN AUTOMATIC CONTROL COMPRISING AN INLET FEELER AND AN OUTLET FEELER ARRANGED TO BE SLIGHTLY LIFTED BY THE FABRIC UPON TRAVEL OF THE FABRIC OVER THE WORKING TABLE NEAR THE ZONE AT WHICH THE PRESSER FOOT IS ARRANGED, A MICROSWITCH ASSOCIATED WITH EACH FEELER AND MECHANICALLY ACTUATED BY THE FEELER WITH WHICH IT IS ASSOCIATED FOR STARTING THE MACHINE AUTOMATICALLY UPON INSERTION OF THE FABRIC UNDER THE INLET FEELER AND STOPPING THE MACHINE AUTOMATICALLY UPON WITHDRAWAL OF THE FABRIC FROM UNDER THE OUTLET FEELER, A CENTRALIZED AUTOMATIC CONTROL BOX, THREE RELAYS ARRANGED IN SAID CENTRALIZED AUTOMATIC CONTROL BOX, INCLUDING A STARTING RELAY ENERGIZED BY THE OPERATION OF SAID INLET FEEDER AND OF SAID OUTLET FEELER, THE OUTLET FEELER SUPERSEDING THE INLET FEELER WHEN THE LATTER IS RELEASED ON FEED OF THE FABRIC BENEATH THE PRESSER FOOT, A THREAD CUTTER OPERATING RELAY ENERGIZED WHEN THE OUTLET FEELER IS RELEASED ON COMPLETION OF THE WORK, AND A SELF-FEED RELAY ADAPTED TO CUT OUT THE HIGH VOLTAGE SUPPLY ON BREAKAGE OF THE THREAD, A MICROSWITCH FOR THE THREAD CUTTING DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING SAID HIGH VOLTAGE CUTOUT, AND A MANUALLY OPERATED LEVER MICROSWITCH FOR STOPPING THE MACHINE AND PLACING IT IN A SAFETY CONDITION, CUTTING OUT SAID HIGH VOLTAGE SUPPLY. 